Gaming Companies Face New Challenges in Belgium

After granting an A+ gaming license to PokerStars recently, lawmakers in Belgium have put the pressure on unlicensed online casino games sites in the country. This is the latest in a series of efforts in the process to liberalize gaming in Belgium.

The Belgian government has compiled a list of companies that they have determined are operating illegally. Belgian ISP’s will block these sites in an effort to enforce online gaming laws. Although domain blockage does not fully guarantee security against illegal gaming sites, it is a strong message to send to anyone trying to break the law.

The Belgian government’s black list includes some serious industry players, including 888 and Everest. Many companies on the list had the .be suffix in their URL’s and had been operating illegally in Belgium for a long time.

Companies can be removed from the black list by not allowing Belgian players the opportunity to play on their sites. If this occurs, Belgian authorities will reexamine the evidence and allow them to apply for an official license.

Companies and players operating illegally in Belgium will face heavy fines from the authorities. Anyone heading an illegal gambling site within the country or catering to Belgian players can be penalized up to €100,000 ($132,00 USD).

Belgian citizens can be penalized €25,000 ($33,00 USD) for playing on one of the banned sites and will have to deal with local law enforcement. Players in Belgium are expected to review the list of banned companies before playing to determine if they are legal.